Photographic enlarging easel



Feb. 18, 1958 N. GREENSPAN 2,823,581

PHQTQGRAPHIC ENLARGING EASE].-

Filed Jan. 16, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. NATHAN GREENSPAN,

BY&MM4

A 1- new: r

nited States ParentO PHOTOGRAPHIC ENLARGING EASEL Nathan Greenspan,Hollywood, Application January 16, 1956, Serial No. 559,361

2 Claims. (Cl. 88-24) This invention relates to photographic enlargingeasels and has particular reference to an easel constructed in a mannerto permit the printing of a plurality of predetermined sizes of imagesupon a single relatively large sensitized sheet.

The invention contemplates a novel form of easel wherein a bar isprovided with a carrier for a sheet of sensitized paper and with the barbeing shiftable in a step by step relation to an overlying cover forshifting the sensitized sheet progressively beneath an exposure openingcarried by an adaptor pan that is detachably engaged within an openingof the cover.

The device contemplates an enlarging, easel wherein a cover is disposedin hingedly connected engagement with a base plate and with the housingbeing provided with an opening formed therein and with the opening beingcovered and uncovered by a valve plate, the upper surface of whichconstitutes the area upon which the image to be printed is focused andwith a sheet of sensitized paper being supported upon the base plate andin underlying relation to the cover and the adaptor and with means pr0jecting from the opposite ends of the housing whereby the sheet ofsensitized paper may be shifted in a predetermined step by step motionfor accurately shifting and positioning the sensitized paper beneath themasking opening and whereby multiple prints may be made upon the sheetin accordance with the size of the masking opening.

In the practice of photography, it is often necessary to make multiplereproductions or prints of an image from an original. Since thereproductions must necessarily be made in a darkroom, the apparatusemployed must be capable of being easily manipulated by touch alonesuccessively to make a plurality of spaced exposures of an original filmor plate on a sheet of sensitized paper.

It is contemplated that the easel of this invention shall be variable tothe extent that the adaptor pan and a notched operating bar is employedto shift the sensitized paper in a predetermined degree of movement inan extremely simple and accurate manner and with the adaptor pan havinga predetermined size of masking opening being employed in combinationwith a particular shifting bar and with the shifting bar and the adaptorpan being cooperative for a specified print or prints of the enlargedimage. Other objects and advantages of the invention will be moreclearly apparent during the course of the following description,reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein has beenillustrated a preferred form of the device and wherein like charactersof reference are employed to denote like parts throughout the severalfigures.

' Inthe drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view of an enlarging easel having a coveringhousing in the closed position and with the device being in an operativearrangement for printing,

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the easel with its cover inan elevatedposition and illustrating the manner ofdisposing a sheet of sensitizedpaper upon the base plate preparatory to shifting the cover to thecovering position,

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken substantially on line 33 ofFigure 1,

Figure 4 is a transverse section taken substantially on line 4-4 ofFigure 1 and,

Figure 5 is a perspective view of an adaptor pan embodied in the device.

Referring specifically to the drawings, the numeral 5 designates a baseplate which may be formed of wood, metal or any other desirablematerial. The base plate as shown, is generally rectangular in shape andis provided with an upper smooth face portion 6. Hingedly connected tothe base plate at 7, is a relatively shallow cover or housing 8 entirelyopen upon its bottom. The cover is provided with side flanges 9 and endflanges 10. Each of the end flanges adjacent the forward edge of thehousing are provided with elongated notches 11 for a purpose to bepresently described. The cover 8 is provided with a square orrectangular opening 12 into which is detachably engaged a recessedadaptor pan 13, having marginal flanges 14 and a recessed bottom 15. Theflanges 14 in use, overlie the upper surface of the cover 8 to properlydispose the bottom 15 in a recessed position below the bottom surface ofthe cover. The bottom 15 is provided with a rectangular opening 16constituting the masking opening for a predetermined size ofenlargement. The opening 16 is covered and uncovered by a plate valve17, hingedly connected at 18 to the bottom The plate 17 thussuccessfully prevents the passage of light rays through the opening 16during the focusing operation of the enlarger (not shown). The uppersurface of fame plate 17 is preferably formed white in order toconstitute, a focusing surface for the image to be eniarged preparatoryto the actual printing upon a sensitized sheet.

Substitute adaptors 13 having predetermined sizes of masking openlngs 16are employed to accommodiate enlargements of various sizes.

Shiftably disposed upon the base 6 is a carrier 1% for the reception ofa sensitized sheet of material 28, preferably of recognized standarddimensions. The carrier 19 is rivetted or otherwise connected with ashifting and spacing bar 21. The bar 21 projects through the slots 11and is provided at its opposite ends with knobs 22, through the mediumof which the bar is easily shifted in sliding engagement upon thesurface of the base 6. Means are provided to accurately move the carrierand the bar in a predetermined step by step relation to the maskingopening 16. This means comprises a plurality of notches 22 formed in thebar adjacent its opposite ends and with the notches being equidistantlyspaced and upon opposite edges of the bar. The notches 22 aredimensioned to have engagement with the opposite ends of the slots andwhereby the bar is accurately moved in step by step relation withrespect to the cover. The purpose in having the notches upon theopposite edges of the bar is to facilitate the printing of multiple rowsof enlargements upon a standard sheet of sensitized material. It isobvious of course that the arrangement of the bar 21 and its carrier 19and the opening 16 of the adaptor 13 is such that the sensitized sheet20 will always be disposed in underlying relation to the opening 16.With the bar and its carrier disposed in the position of Figures i3, thesensitized sheet will be disposed in a position wherein a plurality ofspaced apart prints may be accurately made along the length of the sheet20, and with the bar and the carrier 19 shifted to the dotted lineposition of Figure 3, a second row of prints will be made along thelength of the sheet 20. As before pointed out, it is contemplated that acommon carrier 19 be employed for a standard sizesheet of sensitizedmaterial, the material being slipped in edgewise under the marginalflanges of the carrier,

3 thus greatly facilitating the loading of the device in a darkroom. Thebar 21 and its spaced notches 22 and the adaptor 13 are furnished inmating relation and in accordance with the size of enlargement to bemade and the number of spacing motions'to be made with respect to thebar 21 and the sheet 20. It being determined of course that theparticular size enlargement desired, an adapter 13 and a mating bar 21are selected after which the adaptor is disposed Within the opening 12of the cover 8, and the selected bar 21 is provided with a sheet ofsensitized material within the darkroom and then engaged upon the base6, as shown in Figure 2. Since the sensitized sheet is disposed as closeto the opening 16 as is possible, in order to avoid any distortation orprints that are out of focus, there has been provided a band of felt orsimilar material 23 around the opening 16, under which the sensitizedsheet will slide without injury to the sheet.

The operation of the device is as follows:

Assuming the base 5 to be resting upon a flat surface and directly undera conventional photographic enlarging machine, the operator determinesthe size of prints to be prepared and the number of prints possiblewithin the area of the sensitized sheet. An adaptor and a mating bar 21are then selected, after which the carrier 19 is loaded with asensitized sheet 20. The bar 21 and its carrier 19 are then laid uponthe base 6 at which time the cover 8 is lowered to its operativeposition of Figure 1. With the valve plate 17 closed as at Figure 1, theoperator then proceeds to focus the image upon the white upper surfaceof the plate. If multiple images are to be made, such as that indicatedin Figure 3, where the sheet is capable of receiving 8 individualprints, the bar 21 and its carrier is shifted to the left until theouter-most notch at the right hand end engages the marginal end of theslot 11, at which time the inner-most notch at the opposite end willengage its respective end wall of the slot. In this position, an area Aof the sensitized sheet will be disposed directly beneath the opening16. After the focusing of the plate 17 has been made, obviously in adarkroom, the operator then swings the plate 17 upwardly and makes thenecessary exposure through the opening 16 to the sensitized sheet. Theplate 17 is then closed again, and the operator by grasping both knobs22 moves the bar and its carrier one notch to the right bringing intoposition the area B of the sheet 20. A second exposure is then made forthe next print and so on until four prints of identical size have beenmade longitudinally of the sheet 20. Assuming 8 prints are to be madeupon the sheet as indicated at Figure 3, the bar is then shiftedrearWardly upon the base 6 engaging the opposite notches over the endflanges 10 at the opposite end of the slots 11. A step by step motion isthen imparted to the bar for making the four additional exposures. Theuse of the bar with the notches permits of its operation bysubstantially a touch method, since the operator merely moves the barenough to disengage the notch and promptly engages it against the end ofthe slot and slides it in the proper direction to cause the next notchto engage its associated flange 10. In this manner the several printsare made in accurately spaced relation in a step by step manner thatrequires no difficult adjustments or adjustments that require visualobservation. Where prints are to be made having larger dimensions, anadaptor 13 having the required masking opening 16 is selected and thisadaptor is then engaged within the opening 12. Obviously a mating bar 21will be selected having notches that are spaced in accordance with themasking opening 1% in the particular adaptor 13. The bar 21 may becontrolled in a clockwise manner or anti-clockwise manner as theoperator may desire.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that an extremely simple and mosteffective means has been provided for making enlargements from anoriginal film or plate. It only necessitates that the operator selectthe particular adaptor having the required masking opening and a matingbar having the properly spaced notches in accordance with the width ofthe masking opening. The prints are sharp and clear and due to the feltstrip around the masking opening 16, there is no leakage of light to theadjacent area of the sheet 20. The device permits a very accuratespacing of the prints upon a standard sheet of sensitized material in aminimum of time and without the use of complicated mechanism such as hasheretofore been employed. The device is economical, is strong, durableand results in a very considerable saving of time in preparingphotographic enlargements.

It is to be understood that the invention is not'limited to the preciseconstruction shown, but that changes are contemplated as readily fallwithin the spirit of the invention as shall be determined by the scopeof the subjoined claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

l. A photographic enlarging easel of the character described and whereinmultiple spaced apart images are printed upon a relatively large sheetof sensitized paper in a step by step manner, comprising a base plateand an overlying elevated cover hinged thereto to swing in a verticalplane, the cover having marginal walls that have resting engagement uponthe base plate, opposite end walls of the cover being notched adjacenttheir forward ends, the cover being provided with a rectangular opening,a recessed adaptor pan engaging the opening, the adaptor pan having abottom wall that is provided with a masking opening, a valve platehingedly connected to the bottom wall to overlie the masking opening, anoperator bar disposed upon the base plate and with its opposite endsprojecting through the slots, the bar being shiftable in parallelrelation to the base plate, means formed on the bar for engagement withthe opposite ends of the slots whereby to accurately position the bar ina step by step longitudinal movement with respect to the cover, acarrier for a sensitized sheet of material and with the carrier beingconnected to the bar to be shifted therewith, the carrier and asensitized sheet being disposed in underlying relation to the maskingopening and whereby the sensitized sheet may be shifted in a step bystep motion beneath the masking opening for the production of multipleprints in spaced apart relation, the recessed pan disposing the maskingopening closely adjacent the sensitized sheet, the upper surface of thevalve plate constituting a focusing surface from an enlarging device,the adaptor pan being provided with marginal flanges that overlie thecover, the bottom wall of the adaptor being disposed below the upperwall of the cover and parallel with the base plate, a protective stripof felt secured to the under surface of the bottom and Surrounding themasking opening, and whereby to engage the sensitized sheet to preventscratching, the said valve plate being swingable to and from coveringrelation to the masking opening as individual prints are made upon thesensitized sheet.

2. A photographic enlarging easel of the character described and whereinmultiple spaced apart images are printed upon a relatively large sheetof sensitized paper in a step by step manner, comprising a base plateand an overlying elevated cover hinged thereto to swing in a verticalplane, the cover having marginal walls that have resting engagement uponthe base plate, opposite end walls of the cover being notched adjacenttheir forward ends, the cover being provided with a rectangular opening,a recessed adaptor pan engaging the opening, the adaptor pan having abottom wall that is provided with a masking opening, a valve platehingedly connected to the bottom wall to overlie the masking opening, anoperator bar disposed upon the base plate and with its opposite endsprojecting through the slots, the'bar being shiftable in parallelrelation to the base plate, means formed on the bar for engagement withthe opposite ends of the slots whereby to accurately position the bar ina step by step longitudinal movement with respect to the cover, acarrier for a sensitized sheet of material and with the carrier beingconnected to the bar to be shifted therewith, the carrier and asensitized sheet being disposed in underlying relation to the maskingopening and whereby the sensitized sheet may be shifted in a step bystep motion beneath the masking opening for the production of multipleprints in spaced apart relation, the recessed pan disposing the maskingopening closely adjacent the sensitized sheet, the upper surface of thevalve plate constituting a focusing surface from an enlarging device,the operator bar being formed fiat and with its opposite edges inwardlyfrom its opposite ends being identically notched and with the notches ineach group being identically spaced apart, the said notches at eachextremity of the bar being proportioned to have simultaneous notchedengagement with the end walls at the opposite ends of the slots, thesaid sensitized sheet carrier being horizontally shiftable in a step bystep movement a distance corresponding to the spacing of the notches forprogressively exposing a sensitized longitudinal area of the sheetbeneath the masking opening, the bar being bodily shiftable from one endof the slots to the other whereby the sensitized sheet may be disposedbeneath the masking opening for exposing a second longitudinal area ofthe sheet in a step by step manner.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

